Baudrillard reloaded: interrelating philosophy and film via The Matrix Trilogy

Abstract

The extensive writing on the philosophical aspects of The Matrix Trilogy raises the problems inherent to the interrelation of philosophy/theory and film texts in an acute form. The films are often treated as an introduction to diverse and difficult concepts meaning that – at best – they function as examples to make the theories accessible. At worst, they are castigated for being insufficiently critical and presented as pseudo-philosophy. In contrast, this article will demonstrate that the scenarios offered by The Matrix Trilogy form an active dialogue with postmodern philosophy, changing the construction of key philosophical concepts.

Tracing such a dialogue involves the development of a new model for interrelating philosophical and filmic texts. The first part of the article sets out a new methodology, drawing on the work of French feminist philosopher Michèle le Doeuff. The article focuses on the imagery that characterizes/defines Baudrillard's concept of the hyperreal in Simulacra and Simulation. This is accompanied by an examination of the ways in which The Matrix Trilogy takes up key images, such as the mirror and aspects of Greek mythology. The final part addresses the films’ presentation of value – a departure from its Baudrillardian source – which sustains a radical reconceptualization of the hyperreal.